February 27, 2011
Dear Friends,
In my weekly messages I often mention the word “ego,” and I write about the various ways that choices made from your ego can severely limit your ability to be “in the flow” and fulfill your heart’s desires effortlessly.
Usually, the ego is associated with an inflated sense of self-importance—of pride, arrogance, or grandiosity. And it is fairly easy to see how decisions based on those aspects of your ego can lead you into troubled waters.
But did you realize that the opposite is also true? A low sense of self-worth—of being less than others, or undeserving—is also an expression of ego. And, just like an inflated sense of self-importance, a low sense of self-worth can also make life more difficult for you than it has to be.
You might wonder how both of these extremes in self-perception can have the same source. Well, the answer lies in the way that many spiritual teachers define “ego,” which is simply “a thought that you are separate.”
Any thought that causes you to feel greater than others, or less than others, is a thought that—in your consciousness—separates you from others. And since we are all individual expressions of the same all-pervading energy that is commonly called God, that means that any thought that separates you from others will also—in your consciousness—separate you from that supportive divine energy.
And therein lies the problem. When you are in ego, you are disconnected from G.O.D.—from the “Guidance Of the Divine”—and any decision that you make . . . even one made with the best of intentions . . . is limited by your own incomplete knowledge and imperfect understanding.
As I have mentioned time and time again, to live life in the divine flow it is important for you to maintain a conscious connection with divine direction. And that means that thoughts of separation must be avoided. Instead of belittling others and inflating yourself—or the other way around—it is important to consistently affirm the Truth about yourself and others.
And what is that Truth? It is the Truth that each and everyone of us is a Beloved Child of The Divine—that each and everyone one of us is equal at birth and equal in worth to every other person on this planet . . . and thus, equally deserving of whatever it is we want to have, do, or be in life.
May we all enhance our ability to live life in the divine flow through thoughts of oneness instead of separation.
May we recognize the underlying Truth that every single person in this world is not only our brother or sister in Spirit, but is actually a part of ourselves . . . another wave in that ocean of universal energy that gave birth to us all, nurtures us all, and sustains us all.
Steven
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© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
The Pleasures of Life
February 20, 2011
Dear Friends,
For the past week, I have been in Dallas, Texas for the birth of my oldest daughter’s second child, a beautiful baby boy named Tanner. When Tanner opens his eyes and looks around, the expression on his face makes it look as if he is thinking, “Where in the world am I?” As Tanner begins to explore this world he now finds himself in, his parents—for the second time—are in for a great treat. It is so much fun to watch a child discovering and enjoying the pleasures of life.
I remember what a joy it was to watch my daughter’s first son, Cole, learning how to play a drum that I bought him for his first birthday. How he would bang on that drum with such enthusiasm.
And then there was the time I watched a little four-year-old girl dancing to some music being played by a street musician. What was particularly interesting about this child was the way she “observed herself” as she danced. She would look at her arms as she waved them in the air. She would look at her feet as she shuffled them across the ground. And she would look at her waist as she swiveled her hips around and around.
I felt like I was witnessing that little girl’s soul—her divine, eternal spirit—being fully aware of its presence in this material world, and consciously enjoying the pleasures that this world has to offer. “Look, I have a body!” “Look, I can move it all around!”
So, as I asked in last week’s message, what does all that have to do with living life in the divine flow? Similar to my answer last week, it’s simply this: Always remember that your enjoyment of life has very little to do with reaching the destinations you are “rowing” toward.
Sure, fulfilling a desire or realizing a dream feels great! But that is just the icing on the cake. The real, deep-down enjoyment of life comes from allowing yourself to appreciate the entire journey, and all the wonderful things that journey presents to you along the way.
As you pursue your goals in life, be sure to pause for a moment to appreciate the simple beauty of a tiny flower, and the majesty of a mighty tree. Notice the refreshing feel of a cool, spring breeze . . . the pure, clean scent of approaching rain . . . and the sound of a bird as it sings its splendid song.
Remember that living life in the divine flow is not just about getting where you want to go. It’s also about how you live as you row. Remember to take the time to laugh, sing, dance, and read . . . to eat your favorite foods . . . and to listen to your favorite music.
Make sure that you take the time to allow your spirit to do what it really came here to do in the first place—just to enjoy the experience of being alive and in the world!
Steven
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
For the past week, I have been in Dallas, Texas for the birth of my oldest daughter’s second child, a beautiful baby boy named Tanner. When Tanner opens his eyes and looks around, the expression on his face makes it look as if he is thinking, “Where in the world am I?” As Tanner begins to explore this world he now finds himself in, his parents—for the second time—are in for a great treat. It is so much fun to watch a child discovering and enjoying the pleasures of life.
I remember what a joy it was to watch my daughter’s first son, Cole, learning how to play a drum that I bought him for his first birthday. How he would bang on that drum with such enthusiasm.
And then there was the time I watched a little four-year-old girl dancing to some music being played by a street musician. What was particularly interesting about this child was the way she “observed herself” as she danced. She would look at her arms as she waved them in the air. She would look at her feet as she shuffled them across the ground. And she would look at her waist as she swiveled her hips around and around.
I felt like I was witnessing that little girl’s soul—her divine, eternal spirit—being fully aware of its presence in this material world, and consciously enjoying the pleasures that this world has to offer. “Look, I have a body!” “Look, I can move it all around!”
So, as I asked in last week’s message, what does all that have to do with living life in the divine flow? Similar to my answer last week, it’s simply this: Always remember that your enjoyment of life has very little to do with reaching the destinations you are “rowing” toward.
Sure, fulfilling a desire or realizing a dream feels great! But that is just the icing on the cake. The real, deep-down enjoyment of life comes from allowing yourself to appreciate the entire journey, and all the wonderful things that journey presents to you along the way.
As you pursue your goals in life, be sure to pause for a moment to appreciate the simple beauty of a tiny flower, and the majesty of a mighty tree. Notice the refreshing feel of a cool, spring breeze . . . the pure, clean scent of approaching rain . . . and the sound of a bird as it sings its splendid song.
Remember that living life in the divine flow is not just about getting where you want to go. It’s also about how you live as you row. Remember to take the time to laugh, sing, dance, and read . . . to eat your favorite foods . . . and to listen to your favorite music.
Make sure that you take the time to allow your spirit to do what it really came here to do in the first place—just to enjoy the experience of being alive and in the world!
Steven
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Beauty of Blind Love
February 13, 2011
Dear Friends,
Monday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day, the day we make a conscious effort to express our love and appreciation to the people in our lives whom we dearly cherish.
For the most part, the kind of love being celebrated on this special day is “romantic” love. And one of the characteristics of “romantic” love—at least in the beginning—is that this kind of love is “blind.” We literally don’t see the physical flaws and personality quirks in the beloved. He or she looks perfect to us.
But is that really being blind? Or is that seeing as we are truly meant to see—as that Universal Presence we call God, sees? As we grow in spiritual understanding, aren’t we called to see beyond appearances? Aren’t we called to see beneath the physical, and look past the behavior? Aren’t we called to see the true beauty and the radiant innocence of the spirit that lies within each person? Aren’t we called to see his or her inner perfection?
If that’s being blind, fine! Give me some dark glasses and a cane! Because there is nothing that feels as good as truly loving. There is nothing that feels as good as recognizing the inherent goodness of another’s soul, and allowing yourself to bask in that glorious light.
So what does this have to do with living life in the divine flow? Simply this: When you love as God loves, and see as God sees, it won’t make any difference where you are along the course of “the stream.” It won’t make any difference whether you are just about to reach your dream, or whether you are still miles away from it.
When you love without limits you are happy right where you are, wherever you are. And, in the end—all goals and dreams aside—isn’t happiness all you really want out of life? Isn’t happiness all you’ve been trying to get out of life . . . all along?
Well then, here’s to “blind” love! And here’s to having a lovingly happy day, every day!
Steven
P.S. I just published a related article titled, “Love—The Ultimate Lucky Charm,” in the latest edition of the new, online magazine called Love Your Life! This issue contains 84 Pages of uplifting articles and helpful information by authors such as Marci Shimoff, Michael Beckwith, and more. To review the current issue, or to subscribe, click here.
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
Monday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day, the day we make a conscious effort to express our love and appreciation to the people in our lives whom we dearly cherish.
For the most part, the kind of love being celebrated on this special day is “romantic” love. And one of the characteristics of “romantic” love—at least in the beginning—is that this kind of love is “blind.” We literally don’t see the physical flaws and personality quirks in the beloved. He or she looks perfect to us.
But is that really being blind? Or is that seeing as we are truly meant to see—as that Universal Presence we call God, sees? As we grow in spiritual understanding, aren’t we called to see beyond appearances? Aren’t we called to see beneath the physical, and look past the behavior? Aren’t we called to see the true beauty and the radiant innocence of the spirit that lies within each person? Aren’t we called to see his or her inner perfection?
If that’s being blind, fine! Give me some dark glasses and a cane! Because there is nothing that feels as good as truly loving. There is nothing that feels as good as recognizing the inherent goodness of another’s soul, and allowing yourself to bask in that glorious light.
So what does this have to do with living life in the divine flow? Simply this: When you love as God loves, and see as God sees, it won’t make any difference where you are along the course of “the stream.” It won’t make any difference whether you are just about to reach your dream, or whether you are still miles away from it.
When you love without limits you are happy right where you are, wherever you are. And, in the end—all goals and dreams aside—isn’t happiness all you really want out of life? Isn’t happiness all you’ve been trying to get out of life . . . all along?
Well then, here’s to “blind” love! And here’s to having a lovingly happy day, every day!
Steven
P.S. I just published a related article titled, “Love—The Ultimate Lucky Charm,” in the latest edition of the new, online magazine called Love Your Life! This issue contains 84 Pages of uplifting articles and helpful information by authors such as Marci Shimoff, Michael Beckwith, and more. To review the current issue, or to subscribe, click here.
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Does Negativity Have Power?
February 6, 2011
Dear Friends,
Countless books and articles have been written about a principle called the “Law of Attraction,” and the power we seem to have to “attract” into our lives whatever it is we give energy to. The authors of those books and articles usually caution us to avoid negative thinking, and warn us to avoid dwelling on that which we do not want . . . and for a very good reason. It is commonly believed that negative thoughts have just as much power as positive thoughts. So, if we continually focus on negative outcomes instead of positive ones, then that is exactly what we will attract into our lives . . . even though those outcomes are not something that we desire.
I don’t dispute the fact that undesirable outcomes can manifest when we continually harbor negative thoughts. But I do wonder if negativity has the power to attract something into our lives in the exact same way positivity does. The reason I question that belief is for one simple reason. It just doesn’t fit my own experience of life.
You see, for many, many years I was a very negative person—constantly fearful and worried, and always expecting the worst to happen. Occasionally, yes, my fears would come true to one extent or another. More often than not, though, something good would happen instead! Even when I acted in ways that were obviously self-destructive, I was often miraculously saved from any real harm.
So, as I began to read more and more about the Law of Attraction, I began to wonder about a few things, such as:
Negativity is not the power to create negatively. It is simply
a self-induced reduction in the power to create positively.
Allow me to briefly explain:
I believe there is tremendous power in positivity. When you think positive thoughts, feel positive feelings, and foster positive and loving intentions, you do—literally—attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that lead you to the effortless fulfillment of your heart’s desires.
What’s more, it is relatively easy for you to recognize and cooperate with what you are attracting into your life, because positivity keeps you open and receptive to G.O.D.—the Guidance Of the Divine. You are more insightful, more inspired, and more intuitive . . . and you make much wiser choices as a result.
When you consistently entertain negative thoughts, you experience something quite different.
Surprisingly, even when you are in a negative state of mind, you still attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that can be highly beneficial to you. Why? Because this intelligent universe of ours knows what lies beneath your negativity. It knows what you really want. It knows what you really need. And, because of its beneficent nature, it continues to work on your behalf to help you manifest those desires—in spite of your negative mindset!
However—and here’s the crux of this week’s message—negativity makes it extremely difficult for you to recognize and cooperate with what the universe is orchestrating for you!
When you harbor negative thoughts and feelings, you severely restrict your ability to be open and receptive to divine guidance. It is harder to see what the divine signs are trying to show you. It is harder to hear what your intuition is trying to tell you. And thus, you are much more likely to make unwise choices—choices based solely on your own limited knowledge and biased perceptions.
When doubt and dread rule your head, you are bound to have some undesirable experiences in life. But it is not because you literally “attracted” those experiences to you through some kind of magnetic power. For the most part, those experiences are simply the natural consequence of going through life without the advantage of divine direction—of moving through life unguided or misguided.
As I illustrate this concept in my book:
Steven
P.S. It’s important to note that making decisions without the benefit of divine guidance is not the only reason unwanted challenges appear in your life. Other factors can also be involved. Chief among them is the possibility that—on an unconscious level—you may be choosing to experience a particular challenge. I invite you to review the article I wrote on that subject last April. Just click here.
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Dear Friends,
Countless books and articles have been written about a principle called the “Law of Attraction,” and the power we seem to have to “attract” into our lives whatever it is we give energy to. The authors of those books and articles usually caution us to avoid negative thinking, and warn us to avoid dwelling on that which we do not want . . . and for a very good reason. It is commonly believed that negative thoughts have just as much power as positive thoughts. So, if we continually focus on negative outcomes instead of positive ones, then that is exactly what we will attract into our lives . . . even though those outcomes are not something that we desire.
I don’t dispute the fact that undesirable outcomes can manifest when we continually harbor negative thoughts. But I do wonder if negativity has the power to attract something into our lives in the exact same way positivity does. The reason I question that belief is for one simple reason. It just doesn’t fit my own experience of life.
You see, for many, many years I was a very negative person—constantly fearful and worried, and always expecting the worst to happen. Occasionally, yes, my fears would come true to one extent or another. More often than not, though, something good would happen instead! Even when I acted in ways that were obviously self-destructive, I was often miraculously saved from any real harm.
So, as I began to read more and more about the Law of Attraction, I began to wonder about a few things, such as:
Why doesn’t my chronic negativity always have the negative effects it should according to the Law of Attraction?Through a process of contemplation, meditation, and what I consider to be nothing less than divine inspiration, this—in part—is the conclusion I reached:
Why—in spite of my negative thoughts and feelings—do good things often happen instead?
Why, in my experience, does negativity seem much weaker than positivity? Is it some kind of lesser power?
Negativity is not the power to create negatively. It is simply
a self-induced reduction in the power to create positively.
Allow me to briefly explain:
I believe there is tremendous power in positivity. When you think positive thoughts, feel positive feelings, and foster positive and loving intentions, you do—literally—attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that lead you to the effortless fulfillment of your heart’s desires.
What’s more, it is relatively easy for you to recognize and cooperate with what you are attracting into your life, because positivity keeps you open and receptive to G.O.D.—the Guidance Of the Divine. You are more insightful, more inspired, and more intuitive . . . and you make much wiser choices as a result.
When you consistently entertain negative thoughts, you experience something quite different.
Surprisingly, even when you are in a negative state of mind, you still attract into your life the people, events, and circumstances that can be highly beneficial to you. Why? Because this intelligent universe of ours knows what lies beneath your negativity. It knows what you really want. It knows what you really need. And, because of its beneficent nature, it continues to work on your behalf to help you manifest those desires—in spite of your negative mindset!
However—and here’s the crux of this week’s message—negativity makes it extremely difficult for you to recognize and cooperate with what the universe is orchestrating for you!
When you harbor negative thoughts and feelings, you severely restrict your ability to be open and receptive to divine guidance. It is harder to see what the divine signs are trying to show you. It is harder to hear what your intuition is trying to tell you. And thus, you are much more likely to make unwise choices—choices based solely on your own limited knowledge and biased perceptions.
When doubt and dread rule your head, you are bound to have some undesirable experiences in life. But it is not because you literally “attracted” those experiences to you through some kind of magnetic power. For the most part, those experiences are simply the natural consequence of going through life without the advantage of divine direction—of moving through life unguided or misguided.
As I illustrate this concept in my book:
“It’s like trying to make your way across an unfamiliar room in the middle of the night. Without a guiding light, it’s almost impossible to avoid bumping into something. But you did not attract that something to you. You simply ran into it because you couldn’t see it in the darkness. You did not attract a collision. You were simply more susceptible to a collision as the natural result of your blindness.”Friends, are you stumbling around in the night, blindly bumping into things you don’t want or like? Do you want to regain your power to create what you do want in life? Then turn on the light! It is the light that illuminates your path by illuminating your mind. It is the Light of the Divine that resides deep within your own heart. And all it takes for you to turn on that helpful, beneficent, guiding light is just a little bit of positivity.
Steven
P.S. It’s important to note that making decisions without the benefit of divine guidance is not the only reason unwanted challenges appear in your life. Other factors can also be involved. Chief among them is the possibility that—on an unconscious level—you may be choosing to experience a particular challenge. I invite you to review the article I wrote on that subject last April. Just click here.
Share
© 2011 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
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